Citation
Quorum sensing in bacteria: the LuxR-LuxI family of cell density-responsive transcriptional regulators
TL;DR
LuxI produces autoinducer signals; LuxR detects them and activates gene expression
This paper provided the original molecular characterization of quorum sensing mechanisms, describing how the LuxR-LuxI system enables bacteria to detect population density through autoinducer accumulation. It established the molecular basis for understanding how distributed agents can coordinate without central control.
The detailed molecular mechanism has informed both biological research and theoretical models of coordination in complex systems.
Key Findings from Fuqua et al. (1994)
- LuxI produces autoinducer signals; LuxR detects them and activates gene expression
- Autoinducer concentration increases with cell density due to accumulation
- Threshold concentration triggers coordinated response across population
- System is self-reinforcing through positive feedback